Pre-filed Resolution Concerning
Senate Communication to the University Senates Conference

Resolved, that the following letter with attachment be transmitted by the Senate Secretary on behalf of the Urbana-Champaign Senate to the University Senates Conference with a copy to President Stukel.

Dear Colleagues:

Attached is a copy of a letter sent in November to President Stukel on behalf of the UIUC Senate Executive Committee urging a change in the language approved by all three senates of the amendment to the University Statutes dealing with sanctions other than dismissal. That letter did not claim to represent, and in fact does not represent, the will of the UIUC Senate.

With this letter the UIUC Senate conveys its judgment on the substantive issue raised by the Executive Committee. That judgment is based on the following considerations. 1) The power of a campus administration to bring charges against a faculty member should be balanced at least in part by the power of the elected committee called for by the proposed amendment. 2) The Statutes should anticipate occasional strong disagreement between a campus administration and faculty and set fair rules that will tend to ameliorate such conflicts.

The Urbana-Champaign Senate requests, therefore, that the University Senates Conference either reaffirm the wording already approved by all three senates or ask President Stukel to delay passing on the proposed amendment to the Board of Trustees while it seeks agreement of the Chicago and Springfield Senates for the following alternative wording calling for:

"A provision that the case shall be considered closed if either there is a recommendation by at least three fourths of the elected committee against sanctions or there is a recommendation by a majority of the elected committee against sanctions and the provost concurs."